


(Discontinued because I’m stinky)Where the Line is Drawn

by Asdfkkl



Category: Harrison Tucker - Fandom, Harryson Tucker, Jackson Tucker - Fandom, Matt Watson - Fandom, Ryan Magee - Fandom, Ryatt, fluff - Fandom, fluff piece - Fandom, supermega
Genre: M/M, Other, fan fiction, just for fun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:01:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22412161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asdfkkl/pseuds/Asdfkkl
Summary: Sometimes friendships come to a point where neither party knows where the other stands. Nothing significant has seemingly changed in their dynamic, but something feels off. Something to be fixed or something to be molded into something else?
Relationships: Matt WatsonXRyan Magee, Ryatt - Relationship
Comments: 18
Kudos: 38





	1. FrenchToastandEggs

**Author's Note:**

> Hiii the title sucks because I have no idea what to call this, but I think this works.  
> I’ll try to upload a chapter a week or so, cause I’ve been trying to grind!! Lol, criNgE1!1!1!  
> I love and appreciate Matt and Ryan’s friendship, it’s just fun to imagine if they were to ever be something more. Cringe camera, ahahah.  
> Anyways please don’t take this seriously, it’s just me experimenting and trying to get better at writing! <3 ALSO if you have any criticisms please leave them below and/or follow my blog on tumblr (TRIPLE CRINGE, jk, sorta,) @mahashbrowns
> 
> This is gonna be some semi slow burn type shit with multiple chapters, so here we goooooooo

The first thing that Matt feels in the morning is an Abrupt sharp pain on his chest.

Upon waking up, he lazily opens his eyes in curiosity to see what the matter was. Peering up at him was his feline friend sitting on his chest. Banana, Matt’s cat, sitting two inches away from his face, loud and guttural purring while kneading his human’s chest. 

He sighs in annoyance with a smile creeping up in his voice.

“Buddy I’m gonna need you to move.”

Banana continues to stare up at Matt, while continuing to knead on his chest, covered in thin cheep T shirt.Matt gives Banana a pat, while the feline fully leans into it, enjoying the affection.Having given up on fighting Banana, Matt opens his phone and scrolls through a couple of his social apps.

He usually does this every morning before fully waking up, but usually after his alarm goes off, (on his phone that usually is, not Banana.) But today is Saturday, and Matt decided to let himself have this Saturday off, since he, Jackson and Ryan have been working their tails off with renovating the office. 

He wonders to himself what he should do for the day. It’s usually filled up with back to back recording sessions, editing some live action stuff, and working on personal projects.While he did enjoy being creatively efficient as much as he could, he wanted to just wanted to relax and have some fun.

After about 20 minutes or so, Banana grew bored with Matt’s unenthusiastic affection, and hopped on the floor to check out all the articles of clothing laying scattered among the room. Having found a sufficient enough shirt to lay on, the cat circled the shirt a couple times then promptly plopped on the shirt getting comfortable.

Matt continued to lay in bed on his phone, not wanting to move, but a sudden notification popped on his phone that startled him more awake than before due to the loud ringer.

It was Ryan! 

Ryan just sent a simple “hey,” but was still intrigued to answer right away.

“What’s upp”

“Nothin, u going in the office today?”

Matt has already thought about not going, so no. He thought he told Ryan already but maybe he didn’t.

“Nah, I’m just gonna chill today. Did I not tell you??”

He waited.

“Oh shit, yeah u did”

“U going in??”  


Matt waited.

“Nah, was gonna see if you wanted to hang out at my place or somethin.”

Matt smiled. Though he just saw him yesterday, it was through a filled work day, and hanging out with his friend just to hang out sounded nice.

“Yeah for sure! Do you wanna come over here? I can come over if you want, I can bring Jackson too.”

Usually the guys hang out at Matt’s place because it was just easier for all of them to hang out in the spacious house than Ryan’s apartment. Offering the invite to his place was always sensible. And while Ryan did enjoy Matt’s company, Matt knew Jackson and Ryan get along quite well and are becoming closer friends.

“I kinda wanted u to come over here lol I got somethin for ya. Unless you don’t feel like driving here.”

Matt sat up a bit more.  


_ Something for me? _

He thought.  


_ Probably some stupid gag gift like a flesh light. _

He smiled and laughed through his nose anyways and replied with a “alright ha, give me half and hour or so, I’ll be there.”

Matt hopped out of bed and noticed Banana muffined on a shirt of his and scoffed.

“Yo Banana, I was gonna wear that shirt.”

As if on cue, Banana side eyed Matt out of defiance and indifference.Matt stepped past his pet and began looking through his closet for something to wear.

“But I see you’re VERY comfortable, so I guess I’ll go with something else.”  


The cat didn’t bat an eye at the comment, in fact, he had his eyes closed fully.Matt rolled his eyes and left his room to take a quick shower and start the day.

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

  
20 minutes later, Matt strolls out of the shower into the living room to see what his roommates were up to.

Harry sat at the counter, looking entranced on his phone with half eaten eggs and French toast, while Jackson was focused on video games of some sorts.

“Ooh French toast! Made by yours truly?” Matt asked as he walked further into the kitchen questioning Harrison.

“Actually Jackson made them,” Harry said with a hint of what sounded like a proud mother.

Matt has taken a piece of French toast, plastered and exaggerated disgusted face, and jokingly took it out of his mouth and put it back, but continued to eat it anyway. Clearly more entertained with the bit than Harry was. Matt continued on.

“You mean like the ego French toast?”

“No, Jackson made em’. I gave him a few pointers.”

“No way.”

“Shut up, Watson,” Jackson eventually chimes in with a smile in the come back.

Matt plopped some on his plate and grabbed the maple syrup out of the pantry. 

“Sorry I just don’t expect such cuisine from the lesser half of y’all.”   
Harry quickly chimes in saying “I did make the eggs though. He kept cracking them and somehow getting egg shells in the yolk,” he tattles with a roll in his eyes.

Jackson pauses his game for a second and says “ Ya know I’m just not an egg person, more of a shell kind, ya know.”

Harry continued to play on his phone, and Matt continued to sit and eat the French toast sticks, almost completely ignoring Jackson’s joke.

“Guess no one liked my joke... or YOLK. Haha.”

More silence, as the other two continued with their individual tasks. Jackson didn’t mind though because he was quite amused with himself.

“Hey, I’m gonna head to Ryan’s in a bit, are y’all doing anything today?”

“Yeah, maybe hit up some tiki bars later with some friends, but no not really,” Harry said sounding uninterested. Matt smashed a fork into the last French toast stick on his plate and waited for Jackson to answer, but was met with silence once he was playing Fortnite again.

“Jackson-“

“Yeah, tiki bars,” he said hurriedly.

Matt hummed.

“Didn’t you say you were taking a break from them?” Matt asked in a poking manner. He and Jackson loved going to the local tiki bars all over LA. While there were many unique and different places to eat and drink in the area, the two of them found themselves going back more and more to certain bars.

“I thought YOU were taking a break mister ‘I’m watching what I drink,’” Jackson spat in a mockingly manner while sticking his tongue out towards the end.

“I’m heading to Ryan’s dumbass, I never said I was going out.”

“Oh shit right now? I need to show him something on-“

“No, no just me he said,” Matt quickly said cutting him off. Jackson went silent for a beat or two and replied with “Oh ok. What? Ya’ll having a boss meeting, eh?”

Matt rolled his eyes, thinking about how he really didn’t know what Ryan wanted.

“I have know idea man, he said that I should come alone since he’s got something for me.”

Jackson hummed as a response, once again losing interest in the conversation already. On the other hand, looking back at Harrison from the small fold up table he was all ears.

“Just you? Pfft, why?”

Matt shrugged.

“I don’t know, he probably got me some stupid gag shit like a condom or something.” Matt waves it off and brings  his plate to the sink to clean it off.

“But why drive there just to get that?”  


Matt continued to clean and replied,

“I don’t know, just to get out of the house I guess. He seemed persistent about me coming alone.”  


Although Matt clearly doesn’t have eyes on the back of his head, he felt a fairly intense gaze from Harrison behind in a questionable manner, but ignored it. While the request from Ryan was true, Matt felt a twang of guilt from fibbing. Or more so, feeling like he had fibbed. He didn’t actually think Ryan wouldreally care if either one came along, but there was a part of Matt that just wanted to see Ryan alone without the peanut gallery.

“So I’ll be back...” Matt trailed off looking for his keys in the small ceramic vase by the front door. He then spotted them and clutched them finishing with,

“Later... I guess? I don’t know, let me know if y’all wanna go out and do anything.”

Jackson cooed an “ok,” and Harry replied with “tiki bars!”

Matt smiles and closes the door behind him on his way to Ryan’s place in hurry to see what the fuss is all about.


	2. Long Time No See?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan has a special surprise for da boys to enjoy

Lego sat on the welcome mat placed in front of the front door while staring up at it as if the door would move. The pooch perked his ears up every once in awhile when hearing footsteps of other residents closing their doors in the hall. Lego whined at the slight commotion outside the door that usually occurs every so often. Ryan sits on the couch, on his phone, glances up every once in awhile confused.

“I just let you out, boy,” he seemed to complain more than say.

Lego looked back, panting a smile and licked the air, but staying on the mat. Ryan continued to thumb on his phone slightly annoyed with his canine’s antics of being persistent on going back outside.  
A sudden vibration of a notification from Matt read “I’m outside!” Ryan giddily got up and shooed Lego out of his way hurriedly.

“I’ll be right back, bud.” Lego obliged and stepped out of his human’s way for his exit. Ryan closed the door, and Lego returned to right back to his spot from before.

A few minutes passed by with a jostle from the door. Lego began prancing and jumping excitedly from the two humans entering the apartment.

“Woah, hey hey, Lego, easy boy,” Ryan cooed at his dog. Lego dies down his excitement but was all eyes on Matt.

Matt chuckles and bends down right away to Lego’s level while affectionately cupping the dog’s joyful face. Matt looks back up at Ryan not noticing that the two of them barely made it inside the apartment with the door still partially open.

“Glad somebody misses me,” Matt says complacently. 

Ryan scoffs and softly shoves Matt making his way back to the couch telling him to make sure he closes the door. Lego happily follows Matt to the couch as well, making sure to remind him that he was there too. Matt sighs, or more so heaves exasperatedly and eyes his friend questionably. Ryan gives a wait here look and scurries to his room. Matt already accepted his fate of knowing he has wasted his gas in coming to Ryan’s place to get some kind of dumbass gift, but didn’t care much since he got to hang out. 

Ryan came back out right away with something behind his back. His goofy laugh started out as a giggle and got more obnoxious the longer Matt stared at his friend in a well, what? Show me, kind of way. Ryan whipped out a DVD cover that Matt couldn’t read right away but couldn’t stop smiling like and idiot.

Delta Farce.

“No fucking way.”

Ryan erupted in laughter, “yeah dude!”

“I fucking hate you,” Matt sad in between fits of laughter and excitement.

“Dude what the fuck-”

“I found it on eBay! I placed a bid on it cause someone else wanted it, so I kept going! It’s a national treasure.”

Matt continues to look in awe while still smiling and laughing like a goon, amazed that Ryan was hyping up to this.

“I’m legitimately excited to watch that actually.”

“I am to!” 

Ryan turned the front of the DVD case back at himself with a cheesy grin and a proud smile to himself. He sat down on the couch next to Matt with the both of them giggling like children.

Ryan wiped as his eyes, “You wanna watch it now-“

“RYAN I JUST GOT HERE IT’S LIKE 2:00 PM!” Matt shouted still cackling.

“I know dude but you kept saying you wanted to watch this movie for like months now.” 

Matt nodded his head agreeing but was put back a bit.

“Don’t you wanna do something else before buckling down and getting into this bad boy?” 

Ryan shrugged. “I don’t know. Why? You scheming something?”

Matt thought for a second to himself. He didn’t really have any plans for them to do, he just wanted to do more.

“I was thinking about going out tiki bars maybe? I wanted to see if Arin wanted to go out with us but he seems busy. What do you wanna do?” 

Ryan watched Matt as he came up with different ways to spend their day together. He enjoyed how his eyes would crinkle if he thought he was being pushy or to questionable towards him.

“I kinda just wanted to play video games and shit. But I mean if you wanna get out and walk around, we can walk down to Kroger’s and 7/11.” 

“Man, you know my stomach can’t handle those gas station tacos any more,” Matt grimaced at the memory of 7/11 trips.

Ryan huffed, “Then get something else, ya big baby!” 

Lego suddenly nudged Matt’s arm forcefully, hoping to get the human’s attention once again. Matt pat him and smiled toothy.

“Lego, I know I’m the shit, but since when did you like me this much, huh? Ryan not giving you any attention or something?” Lego continued to pant happily from the head scratchings and leaned closer. Ryan breathed heavy through his nose.

“You haven’t been over here in a while. Been like-“ Ryan counted on his fingers in a whisper to himself, “Oh like, 5 months? Yeah a little after New Years.”  
Matt looked as if he were going to protest that guesstimate, but quickly realized that his friend’s calculations sounded about right. His mouth turned down feeling the twangs of guilt.

“Holy shit have I really not been over here for that long?”

“I mean I think so, that’s why Lego is probably being a little whore with you,” he gestured towards the dog happily taking Matt’s attention.

“I’m sorry, shit.”

Ryan raised and eyebrow. “It’s fine dude, shit happens. Plus I usually come over to your place.”

Matt still felt a bit bad about the situation but hummed a “yeah I guess so.” Ryan didn’t take offense to it though because he knows Matt usually likes to go out with a couple of friends or a group of people for fun and on his time off. While he did enjoy his alone time, he felt his best when sharing experiences and creating with other people. A lot of times, Ryan would be invited to tag along, mostly because of Matt, but usually declines the offer, in favor of staying home and playing video games while calling Jackson or Justin. 

Before Matt and Ryan really knew each other well, Matt took offense and thought different of Ryan for favoring staying at home than going out. But as the years went on, he realized that he too enjoyed being alone as well, and respects Ryan’s boundaries of being alone, and further appreciates their time together. He had taught Matt a lot about himself by just being himself, and one of those things is being ok being by yourself.

“I mean we can go out if you really want to. Like out out. Not a 7/11 run.” Ryan tapped his fingers on the couch cushion beneath himself offering the little adventure.

Matt looked up from Lego and saw a hint of what seemed to be embarrassment of even bringing up walking down to the grocery store and gas station like old times. He found this charming and honestly cute for his friend to even feel that way.

“No I’m down for a grocery run dude. Let’s get to it, yeah?”

“Right now?”

“Sure.”

Ryan hopped up and agreed while fetching his slides and grabbing his apartment keys. He was about to grab his car keys but looked back at Matt as if he was testing him on his retaliation.

“You want me to drive us or-“

“Let’s just walk. It’s not too hot outside, and just for old times sake.”

Ryan smiled and said “this is stupid,” almost as if to only say it to himself but was loud enough for Matt to hear. Then they were off. They headed out and went on their quest for shitty tacos and miscellaneous groceries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was done writing this, I got a notification from yt on their podcast, listened to it, and realized that they got DELTA FARCE TOGETHER, LMAOOO.  
> What a coincidence.  
> Also ik these are kinda short, I apologize ;-;


	3. Tacos and Hot Dogs, Dude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys go to 7/11!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter, but it was fun to write. I hope to keep writing even though my semester just started!

Upon opening the 7/11 door after hitting up Kroger’s, Matt immediately rushed over to the rolling hot dogs and tacos on stand towards the back.

“Might get a slurpee or something. Hey!”

Ryan’s hands held a couple of grocery bags but were almost immediately put down in surprise when seeing his friend already grabbing a couple of hot dogs and tacos.

“What? I haven’t had some in ages.”

“You just said- well yeah, there’s a reason why.” Ryan laughed, “you’re gonna have to tear up my toilet later if you eat all that!”

Matt looked back down at the items he had collected already. While blankly staring down at the handfuls of “food,” Ryan huffed displeasing.

“Just this once. I’m feeling nostalgic tonight.”

Ryan honestly couldn’t care any less, he was just thrown off once again by Matt’s flip flop nature of constantly changing his mind about something.

He continued to put down his groceries in order to work the slurpee machine and nodded towards Matt while rolling his eyes.

On their way back towards the apartment, the sun has settled more into the day, cooling down the hot pavement beneath them.

Neither one of them really said a word to each other, just the sound of crinkly grocery backs going back and forth with the sound of their shoes hitting the pavement. 

“Tss, you remember always waiting till the sun went down before walking down here? Usually is always hot as fuck during the day.” Matt interrupted the peaceful silence, but Ryan looked over at him in an unreadable manner that Matt couldn’t quite place.

“You trynna talk about the weather to me?” Ryan smiled and waited for his friend's response.

“I’m legitimately am, yes! It’s usually scorching outside around this time of the year, especially for California, so I don’t know.” He trailed off in a meeker manner than before. Ryan huffed, “ It’s like you can’t go a second without saying anything, Matthew.”  
“Yeah I can! Ryan I literally just wanted to point out how nice it is today-“

“You’re proving my point,” Ryan butted in. 

The silence that followed after from Matt was a direct and obvious fuck you to Ryan, but he knew Matt zipped his lips right after that comment because he realized he was digging himself into a hole. Ryan shrugged his shoulders grinning, walking a bit faster than his counterpart to get to the entrance of the apartment first.

When walking into the apartment, Lego once again greeted the humans in an enthusiastic manner, though he just saw them not too long ago.   
Ryan settled Lego down once again, and began to put away some of the cold items into the fridge. Matt handed Ryan the tacos and hotdogs he had bought, and was met with an inquisitive face.  
“You’re not eatin’ them now?”

“Nah, maybe later tonight for a midnight snack or something.” Matt shrugged casually as Ryan took the food, but was still processing what he had said.

“Who said you’re staying that late, huh?”

Matt had already started making his way back to the couch to sit in front of the TV, but quickly turned around with a hitch that subtly erupted in his voice.  
“I mean I can go home eventually. I just mean, IF I were to stay that late I can totally go home though if you really want me to.”

Ryan continued to rummage through his fridge not sounding too stressed about the invite.

“Nah it’s fine, you can even stay the night if you really want to. Jackson and Harry driving you up the wall?”

Matt pouted a lip, thinking. He wasn’t particularly annoyed or fed up with his roommates, surprisingly. Jackson usually got to his nerves every once in awhile, but not to a point of wanting to sleep somewhere else.

“No no, just... I don’t know, assumed I guess?”

“Oh, so you just invited yourself to stay, I seeee,” Ryan continued to put the carton of eggs away while smiling, knowing he was pulling teeth with with his friend.  
Matt chuckled, easing a bit more from before.

Why am I so nervous?

“Sorry man I don’t know. We use to do sleep overs all the time, so I don’t know I just assumed.”

“Matt we lived with each other, what’d ya mean?”

“I know but I mean after that, when we’d have movie nights and just chill”

“We still have movie nights though.”

“Yeah but-” Matt started to play with his clothes disgruntledly.

“I mean just us hanging out at your place.”

Ryan finally closed the fridge door and leaned on it with a shrug.

“I guess so yeah. I’m only teasing.” 

Matt nodded, still concerned he had broken a boundary of overstepping.   
While they did enjoy their time together, they both enjoyed to just be alone in solitude. To recharge. Ryan more so than Matt, so he was always more cautious with him. 

Upon meeting one another, Ryan always said why Matt came off as annoying due to his excitement to be his friend. Eventually, it was their dear friend Daniel that gave Matt a few pointers on how to warm up to Ryan. 

Thus, beginning a unique and lasting friendship. Matt was always grateful for colliding into Ryan’s life wishing he had Ryan as a friend in high school, but then thinks about how they may not have gotten along nor be friends with one another. At least not right away. Matt was and still forever grateful for their beloved friend Daniel, as well as introducing him to Ryan.

Ryan brushed past Matt in order to get to the couch and thought nothing more of the matter. 

“Let’s pop this baby in.”

Matt practically bounded over with glee and put the old DVD into the blue ray player without a word.


	4. Biki Tar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys hang out and have a good time, but something interrupts them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not good at summarizing chapters, I apologize.  
> I may start making them (chapters) longer in the future :)
> 
> I hope you enjoy! I promise within the next couple of chapters things will start to get more *interestingggg*

If Matt had checked his watch, he would have noticed the time read 7:30 pm. And if he had also checked his messages, he would have also noticed Harry texting Matt “so tiki bars, still? We’re going around 8.”

But that wasn’t the matter. In fact, the matter was that the guys were on their third 3rd movie of the day while eating tacos and hot dogs with several other assortments of snacks. Lego lay by Matt’s feet, that weren’t sitting so still due to the amount of obnoxious laughter erupting from the both of them.

“This movie is atrocious.” 

“Norbit’s a classic, dude.” Matt smiled widely.

“I need to smoke for this shit.”

“Ryan no! C’mon it’s fun.”

“Ok Mr. JUUL police, you cracking down, huh?”

Ryan playfully shoved Matt’s shoulders.

Matt rolled his eyes, “I mean go for it I don’t care, it’s just- never mind.” Matt continued to pop a couple of pieces of popcorn in his mouth, not noticing Ryan’s mood shifting. There was a beat or two that fell short and felt weirdly placed, but Ryan didn’t bat an eye.

“Nevermind, what?”

Matt looked back up meeting with Ryan’s eyes that changed in a matter of seconds, realizing he may have said the wrong thing, but stood by what he said anyways.

“I’m just enjoying our time soberly is all I’m saying.” He took a swig of his la croix while eyeing his friend to see his reaction. 

“I’m trynna cut down anyways.”

“Cutting down for a while, huh?”

Ryan smiled, “shut up JUUL head,” then proceeded to make an idiotic “DUH” noise and cross his eyes, ending in a laugh. Again, this time Matt noticed the shift of emotions once again. Intrigued by his friend’s vast emotions.

“Fuck you, Ryan.”

“Ok Mr. Saint, when’s the last time you smoked?” 

Matt swallowed the remaining liquid from his mouth quickly. Raising a finger as if he were to certainly say a date, but then freezing and doing nothing else. Ryan raised his eyebrows inquisitively.

“See!”

“What do you mean, see? That means it’s been so long I can’t even REMEMBER!”  
Matt spat out, proud of himself.

“No, no that means you realized just how often you smoke and don’t wanna admit it.” Ryan said in a egging on kind of voice he usually does that gets to Matt.

“Ryan- no, fucking stop that shit, I know what you’re fucking doing-"

“What do you MEAN what I’m doing? I’m just asking my friend when’s the last time he smoked!” 

Matt raised an eyebrow with a smirk at his older friend.

“Ok, so when’s the last time you smoked?”

“This morning.”

“Ryan!”

“WHAT?”

“How can you give me shit about it but not the other way around?!”

Matt contemplated that logic, coming up with nothing, still smirking behind his can. Ryan heaved a sigh and settled back in from raising his voice.

“Always in my feelings and all that. On that sad boy shit.”

Matt pushed up his glasses in a giggle amused with Ryan’s attempt to use some internet “slang,” but was masked with subtle worry and disappointment.

“Why were you sad?”

“I wasn’t sad, just thinking a lot.”

“Oh so you were angry?” Matt asked.

“I mean, I guess. More so with myself, ya know. Just shit. I feel like I’m getting nowhere.”  
Matt paused sipping his drink and once again saw the shift in his eyes from joking around to being more serious.

“I get that. I smoke when I get upset. Shit sucks.”

Matt tapped his La Croix anxiously.  
He wasn’t usually one for opening up and talking about deep shit, but when it came to Ryan, he wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable. It was Ryan, his best friend. He had always offered a shoulder to cry on, and the same to him.

“Ryan, you know you can talk to me, literally whenever, right?” 

He pauses for a moment, turning towards him more.

Matt can easily read Ryan. He knows most, if not all, his boundaries, his moods, and his subtle call for a helping friend. As hard as it was to read Ryan upon getting to know one another, he now can read him like a book. At least, he thinks he can.

“If you feel like you need to smoke out of stress, call me. Iv’e heard that talking to a loved one can really help with distracting yourself from doing it. Ok?” He continued to stare at Ryan, who was looking down at his folded hands, tapping his foot.

“I’m serious.”

Ryan didn’t answer right away. He scratched at his beard, massaging his face then rubbing his eyes.

“It’s alright, thanks.” 

“Of course.”

The room fell silent with both of their minds buzzing through the air. Matt looked at Ryan again, realizing how down he looked, noticing how the mood had suddenly shifted drastically from one end to another.

“Ryan,” Matt said in a stiffer voice than before.

“We can talk right now if you want,” he said innocently. 

Ryan snorted, “We are not talking about my bull shit just because I made a joke about smoking to fucking Norbit, Matt.” 

He said it harsher than he had intended it to, and felt the stinging after effects of it linger in the air. 

“I know you know this, but I fucking love you, man. I just wanna make sure you’re alright ya know? You do that for me, and I do the same. I know that sounds stupid but I don’t care.” 

Ryan signed as well.

“Matt, I care about you a lot, and I appreciate you... wanting to do that for me, but I just don’t want to talk about that right now.”

Matt felt his words caving back into himself. 

“Ok yeah that’s fine, of course. I just wanted to offer.” 

Ryan eyed Matt suspiciously knowing he did mean what he meant, but there was still a part of him that knew Matt had been prying to get more out of him. 

Oh Matt,   
Ryan thought. 

He knew Matt had the best of intentions. He didn’t want to bombard his friend with all his baggage. Besides, Matt was a hypocrite. When Ryan has done or said similar things in the past, Matt refused to open up about his struggles as well.

Asshole.

“GOD,” Ryan said suddenly louder than before.

“I’m a shitty friend I’m sorry.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. Matt looked back over, puzzled.

“Dude what? No you’re not! Why?”

“I just am, I don’t know. I’m a piece of shit.”

“Shut the fuck up Ryan! I don’t know where the fuck I would be with out you, honestly.”

Matt picked his La Croix back up.

“Could you imagine me and Jackson running a let’s play channel? We would never progress in any game! Besides we would kill each other being with one another too long.”

Ryan smirked.

“I mean so would we-”

“It’s different!” Matt said defensively scrunching his eyebrows.  
Ryan was laughing again light heartedly, head full of glee.

Matt beamed hearing his friend laugh, knowing he had been able to steer the conversation back up again.  
A sudden buzz emitted from his pocket, jostling him in surprise. Matt pulled out his phone and saw a series of text messages appear in his messenger app.

“Yoooo about to leave, text if you still wanna go dude.”

It was Harrison.

Ah crap! Matt thought to himself.

Ryan noticed how intense his friend was looking at his phone and asked what the matter was.  
Matt shrugged it off and said Harry was wondering if he was still planning on going out. Ryan hummed.

“Well, are you? Norbit’s over now, so you’re free to go,” he says waving his hand as if Matt were his peasant, releasing him of his duties.  
Matt put his phone back in his pocket quick.

“Nah it’s ok, I’ll hang here tonight.”

Matt seemed to settle back down into the couch getting more comfortable, but Ryan continued to sit in a more tense position like before, and stared at him. Ryan held his head in his hand and pursed his lips slightly.

“You can go dude, me and Lego will watch movies without you! I know the tiki bars are calling you,” Ryan said in a sing-songy way.

Matt cocked his head, “I know. But I don’t know I kinda just wanna chill here. Unless?...” Matt paused looking at Ryan.

“You could totally come along. You know the one me and Jackson brought you to once? I think that’s what the first one would be-”

“No no no Matt don’t drag me into another 5 am tiki bar run starting at 8- No! Nearly 7 pm.”

“Aw c'mon, it’s at least a Saturday and not a Wednesday!”

Ryan laughed exasperatedly while rubbing the back of his head.  
Matt cackled at his distressed friend’s expression recalling the horrible judgments made a couple months ago. Jackson and Matt convinced Ryan to tag along with them to their favorite tiki bar. They went out around 7 pm but didn’t make their way back till around 6 am- on a work day. Ryan hadn’t felt so shitty in his entire life, and as for Matt and Jackson, neither did they. Their lack of grasp on time was tampered by the amounts of alcohol consumed, but may also be because of just not wanting the night to end. Matt loved when Ryan would go out with him, and so did most of his friends. Matt knows Ryan is super good with people and quite likable. He just gets too much in his head thinking about what others think about him.

"You were SO persistent and pestering me about smoking, so you can go and be an alcoholic?!"   
Ryan said teasingly.

Ryan eyed Matt, while his friend kept finger gunning towards the older man playfully with a stupid open mouth smile.

It was as if Matt’s eye’s glowed with plead when Ryan sighed and said,

“Fine, when are we leaving?”

Matt smiled whole heartedly,

“All right!! That didn’t take a lot of convincing!” Matt cheered.

“I’ll do it for you I guess. And for my sanity.”

Matt quickly jumped up, “We were supposed to be there by 8, but it’s chill, we can leave whenever you’re ready ya know?”

Ryan stood up at well, stretching his back and arms. 

“Yeah ok. Just gonna shower real quick, is that alright?”

“No Ryan, you have to show up smelling like an absolute beast- YES you can shower, sheesh.”

Ryan has already left the room to collect his clean clothes.

“Alrighty Speedy Gonzales, just wanted to make sure we weren’t on a limited schedule.”

Matt sat back down on the couch in a sigh,

“Yeah yeah, just make it quick, Magee.”


	5. Mr. Tiki Bar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tiki bar trip!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been my favorite to write, even though I feel dry/uninspired right now!  
> Again, going to try and make chapters longer in the future!
> 
> Side note:  
> I’m so sad, but I hope Banana is enjoying himself in his afterlife.  
> Rest In Peace Banana, he was a good boy. <3

‘Here we go again.’

Ryan thought to himself as he climbed into the Uber with Matt.

They decided to take an Uber, even though Ryan was ok with being the DD. But Matt had insisted and said, “ No, you’re not using that as an excuse so you can dip out early!” 

Ryan attempted to retaliate, but was fine with the consensus. He did enjoy getting buzzed. Drunk. Out of it, if the night called for it.

Ryan was in his own head, thinking about the consequences that will arise from tonight. He hoped he at least could be a bit more competent than Matt. His lankier friend can't handle alcohol nearly as much as he can, so he usually kept that in the back of his mind.

The elderly man that was in charge of the vehicle looking back for a second questioningly at the two men and pursed his lips, ready to propose a question. 

“Y’all I don’t bite, why’re both of you back there? Plenty of room in shotgun.” 

Matt and Ryan looked at each other in synch.  
Matt laughed the laugh he did when he felt anxious. Not that there was anything to be particularly anxious about. At least that’s what Ryan thought.  
He could tell.

“Ah, ha, I don’t know, I guess I thought I’d give my buddy shotgun.”

Ryan pauses for a second.

“Oh. Guess I just wanted to keep my buddy company, yeah?”  
Ryan looked back at Matt, and he seemed complacent with the response and quickly moved on.

The driver started heading out, and made light and casual conversation with Matt, while Ryan zoned out.He felt more at ease when taking an Uber with Matt specifically because of the lack of effort needed to converse with the driver, due to Matt’s chatty nature. Both a blessing and a curse.

“Ah, are you guys meetin’ up with some of your friends?”  
The driver asked light heartedly.

“Yep! Meeting some friends and all that jazz. Just an excuse to get out and get a bit buzzed,” Matt said with a twang in his smile at Ryan.  
Ryan gulped. 

‘Stop being weird, Matt,” he thought. As if reading his mind, Matt continued to blabber.

“Maybe get my good pal a chance to get out there more. He can be a bit shy, but maybe that’ll change tonight,” he said with wiggling eyebrows, insinuating something.

Ryan was clueless.

He stared at Matt knowing he was fucking with him.

“Y’all got double dates or something?” The elderly driver asked.  
Before Ryan could answer Matt replied with a “yeah for sure!”

Ryan sighed and fell more into his seat than before. 

‘Why is he acting like we’re 16? Asshole.’ 

Although annoyed, he was enjoying Matt’s bit being played up. He scrunched his face from trying not to burst into laughter. Matt raised his eyebrows smirking at his older friend.

“Oh how nice! Hopefully it’s not overly crowded,” the elder man said, turning onto a highway. 

“It may be, but it’s a Saturday after all.”  
Matt continued to talk about their supposed double dates they met online, or something among the lines of. Ryan zoned out once again, losing interest in the now mundane conversation.

Upon arriving at the tiki bar, Ryan quickly gave his half of the cash to the Uber driver, and followed Matt inside.

They were greeted by Harry and Jackson, with both of them holding a drink in their hand.

“Thanks for deciding to show up, lover boys,” Harry said with a sly grin, clearly buzzed already.

Jackson slid his way out of his brother’s grip, not noticing till now, and popped in between Matt and Ryan perfectly.

“Sup meg heads.”

Ryan scoffed at the nick name with a stifle.  
“Jackson stop with that shit,” Ryan gruffed at the man. 

Matt wiggled away a bit trying to engage Harry more, as he seemed to be getting distracted by the rambunctious crowd having a good time.

“Y’all wanna do karaoke?” Matt said a bit loud, since the music and people filled the place in high volume.

“Fuckin- now? Have a couple first, at least.”  
Harry grabbed Matt’s wrist, dragging him over while Matt called behind him to break Ryan and Jackson out of their conversation. Ryan urged Jackson to come along and get their drinks going.

One by one, they sat along the strip of the counter, fully emerging themselves into the chaotic atmosphere of the place.

“What happened to cutting back, huh Matt?”  
Jackson elbowed Matt next to him, with Ryan and Harry on the outer stools.

“Could ask you the same honestly.”

The bartender came over and waved hi to them, more so Matt and Jackson than Harry and Ryan.  
She placed a hand on the counter a chuckled, “the usual I presume?”

Matt and Jackson looked at one another in synch and muffled a laugh.

“Yeah, thanks Nathalie.”

Clearly busy with the other locals, she went back to making her concoctions of drinks. Ryan sighed more into the counter while holding his head up, waiting for Nathalie to take his order. 

His head wandered off into deep thought again, mostly about mundane stuff.  
He found himself bubbling with anxiety for what seemed to be no reason at all.  
‘Maybe I do need a drink,’ he thought to himself.  
Jackson placed a somewhat aggressive shoulder on Ryan, startling him.  
“I haven’t seen you in a hot minute, my man.”  
Ryan roller his eyes smiling.

“It’s been like two days.”

Jackson melodramatically held his hand up to his forehead, “Alas! Two days too long!”

Ryan cooed back at Jackson’s attempt to do whatever he was doing.Nathalie came over and got Ryan’s drink, a cocktail, and beamed with excitement.

Matt proposed a toast, (Why? Ryan couldn’t particularly place,) and held up his drink to Jackson’s.

“To tiki bars!”

Jackson beamed at Ryan, then leaned over and looked at Matt, he chiming a bit louder than before,

“To THE Mr. Tiki Bar!”

Ryan couldn’t see that well, due to the dim bar, but could depict Matt’s unamused face from the nickname Jackson had placed.

Ryan sputtered a giggle, undeserved in his eyes, and clinked Jackson’s drink back.

“To Mr. Tiki Bar.”


	6. The Rusty Pineapple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt’s just trying to be a good friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m gonna be honest I had no idea what to call this chapter, bare with me AAAAAA
> 
> Hope you enjoy this one!

An hour or so passed by with the four of them more intoxicated than before but capable of holding it together. 

At least that’s what they convinced themselves to.

“The Rusty Pineapple” started to become more and more compacted as time went by with little to no room. Even though it was a Saturday night, Matt thought to himself that he hasn’t really experienced it being this crowded, at least when he and Jackson have gone together. But then he thought about the obvious attraction that was the cause to the over crowded place.

The karaoke line was the culprit.

The line zig-zagged from the stage all through the bar, as everyone was eager and drunk enough to have a gander at it. They had been standing there for at least half an hour, without any movement.

Not that the endless line stopped the four of them from waiting.

An older couple had been hogging for most of the karaoke run time, but were finally asked to step down since the demand for a turn with the mic was in need.

While waiting around, Jackson decided to be “bus boy,” (as he called it,) for drinks while the other three waited in line. 

The atmosphere in the air rang high and flighty as Matt talked to Ryan about their plans when Justin visits them the following week. Harry grew bored of the conversation and wandered off to see what was taking his brother so long. Matt and Ryan continue to chatter amongst themselves not noticing the absence of Harry.

“You wanna go downtown to the beach when he gets here? I don’t think we’ve ever taken him,” Matt proposes as he plays with his fingers.

Ryan sighs with ease and agrees,  
“Yeah for sure. Have we really not? I feel like we have... It's really up to him, I don’t care.”

Matt nodded slightly as he steered his gaze elsewhere behind Ryan. Paying no mind to Matt’s lack of engagement in the conversation, he turned slightly in Matt’s direction and raised an eyebrow. Matt’s eyebrows scrunched inquisitively, but not too harshly, due to the amount of alcohol consumed, but remained strong.

“Whatchu lookin’ at, Watson?”  
The taller friend tilted his head and chuckled while turning Ryan towards whatever he was pointing out.

“She’s gorgeous.” 

Ryan didn’t see who he was pointing to right away, but quickly caught a glint of what seemed to be a needle in a haystack.

Diamond, even.

The stranger seemed to have an angelic glow around her, at least that’s what they saw. She had her bright blonde hair pulled back into a loose ponytail with strands of her hair framing her face.

She wore all black, (or what seemed of it in the dim lighting of the bar,) and wore wedged boots with a worried expression. She sat facing the two of them on stool, fiddling with what seemed to be her drink, and clearly distracted with people watching.

Ryan looked back at Matt looking for a sign of “So you going in, or what?”  
But was met with an upturned grin from his friend with a his tooth poking out.  
Ryan emitted an uneasy laugh questioningly.

“What?”

Matt sighed smiling.

“Dude. You should go talk to her.”

Ryan’s mouth fell slightly agape, more so with surprise at his friend.  
“What? Why?”

“She’s totally your type!”

Ryan scrunched his face.

‘My type?!’

Ryan exasperated a sigh.

‘Since when does Matt know my “type?’”

“Matt-“

“Ryan, c’mon, I can even go and start talking about you and then you can trail on over.”

Ryan seemed to have started to say a response or retaliation to Matt, but was still put off with Matt’s statement.

“You don’t know that I have a type!”

“Ryan-“  
Matt giggled grabbing his friends shoulders,  
“Yes you do.”

Ryan laughed and shook his head,  
“I don’t even have a TYPE!”

Matt began to ignore Ryan’s fits as he continued to stare at the stranger, then back at Ryan.

“Matt, YOU'RE DRUNK. I’m drunk. I’m not putting myself in a situation where I bother and harass someone just because my friend sees someone attractive-“

“Attractive, see! You said it, not me!”

Ryan giggles and shakes his head disapprovingly.

Matt waves his hand at Ryan,  
“Also we wouldn’t be harassing her, just saying hello and feeling out a conversation?...”

“You sound like an asshole.”

Matt scoffs,  
“Ok nice guy.”

“Matt,” Ryan says through a fit of nervous laughter, “don’t usually just start talking to people just because-“ 

Matt suddenly pats Ryan’s shoulders and stutters a “You’re right! Then I will.”

And off he goes across the room to the stranger.  
Ryan bubbles with anxiety right away and and instantly wants to go after him but remembers- he has to hold their spot for karaoke. Ryan’s mouth quivers with fear as he reaches out to his friend.

“MATT.”

The lanky man turns around as he’s walking and smirks at his disheveled friend pulling at his facial hair. Ryan hates this. He feels as if he’s acting like a teenager afraid to talk to a crush of his while his friend does it for him.

And even so, the stranger is pretty and all, but feels vulnerable with a not so sober state of mind. He sees Matt gain her attention with a hello, perhaps, and she seems to jump startled, but then smiles shyly waving at him. Ryan can’t hear them, but can see Matt laughing and talking and the woman nodding smiling.   
Ryan looks back towards the line noticing that the old couple were in-fact booted off, and that there were new people going on stage to sing Call Me Maybe. 

Ryan looks back and is met with Matt pointing towards his direction, with the woman searching for what he could only assume, but himself.   
Matt continues to talk, pointing in the general direction, and Ryan is met with her eyes and a smile. 

‘Christ.’ He thinks to himself.

Only wishing to disappear out of thin air, he smiles back and looks away feeling the heat of embarrassment of what was actually happening hit him like a truck.

‘What the fuck, Matt! Fucking Ass hat!’

Matt continues to talk and puts his hand on his hips, and stares at the woman some more while she tilts her head for a moment and promptly plops up. The two of them start heading towards the line, with Ryan holding the spot, while also simultaneously holding his breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ❤️❤️❤️


End file.
